Unloading mechanism for trailer wagons



Aug. 9, 1949. J. E. HYBBERT v UNLOADING MECHANISM FOR TRAILER WAGONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 h TE 1 JOHN EJIY BBERT Filed 001:. 1a, 1946 Aug. 9, 1949.- J. E. HYBBERT UNLOADiNG MECHANISM FOR TRAIDER WAGONS 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 JVHIY E. HYBBERT Patented A 8- 1949 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNLOADING MECHANISM FOR TRAILER WAGONS John E. Bybbert, Donnell, Minn. Application October 1a, 1946, Serial No. 703,938

My invention relates to improvements inunloading mechanism for trailer wagons of a type designed for transporting in a box body. ain.

manure, ensilage, and like materials.

The primary object of the invention is to pro.- vide a simply constructed unloading mechanism adapted to be driven by the rear power takeoff of a tractor, or optionally operated by hand, and which may be inexpensively installed on such a vehicle and will not readily get out of order.

Other and subordinate objects also comprehended by my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

- In saiddrawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustratin my invention in a preferred embodiment thereof.

Figure 2 is a view in plan.

, Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3-of Figure 2 and drawn to a larger scale.

Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation drawn to a larger scale.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing the parts at the rear ends of the box drawn to a larger scale for clearness of illustration.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved unloading mechanism has been shown therein, by wayof exemplifying a preferred embodiment thereof, as forming part of the equipment of a trailer wagon having the form of a conventional grain box I carried by front and 2 Claims. (01. 214 -8336) e thereof and across said box,.with its upper run overlying the bottom 6 to slide thereon and its lower run underlyingsaid bottom 8 and running in the space between the bottom of the bolsters 2, 3' and the spacer bars l6, with the sprocket chains l5 sliding over the foot plates I2. Lower edge recesses I6, II in the front end I of the box I in the tail gate 9 provide for the upper run of the conveyor I3 passing through said box I A' front cross shaft I6 is provided forwardly of the box I with its ends suitably journaled in bear ings I9 slidable forwardly and rearwardly of said box in guide arms bolted, as at 2I,'to the sides 6 of the box I and extending forwardly of the same. Sprocket wheels 2.2, on the cross shaft I8 and over which the sprocket chains l6 run.

' support the conveyor I3 at the front end of the box I. Adjusting bolts 23 in the guide arms 26, suitably connected to the slide bearings I9; provide for adjusting said bearings to tighten or loosen the sprocket chains I5, and hence the rear bolsters 2, 3 mounted on suitable front steering wheels 4 and rear wheels 6. The box I embodies sides 6, a front end I, a bottom 6, and a rear, vertically slidable tail gate 6.

As best shown inFigure 4, the box I is spaced above the bottoms of the bolsters 2, 3 by suitable spacer bars, one of which is shown at III in Figure 4, fitting in the bolster, in this case bolster 3, with downturned ends I'I provided with horizontal' foot plates I2 serving a purpose presently seen, The front steering wheels .4 may be mounted in any suitable manner for steering by the usual hitch, not shown, with which such wagons are usually provided for coupling the same to the drawbar of a tractor, not shown.-

My improved unloading mechanism comprises, as the basic element thereof, an endless belt type conveyor I3 with the usual cross flights I4. and side sprocket chains I6, and which extends conveyor l3, in a manner which will be under-.

stood.

A conveyor operating cross shaft 24 is provided in the rear of the box I with its ends journaled in rearwardly extending bearing arms 25, 26 suitably fixed to the box I at the bottom 8 on opposite sides thereof, the arm 26 being split for. a purpose presently seen. Sprocket .wheels 21 fast on said shaft 24 and over the which the sprocket chains l5 are trained support the conveyor I3 at the rear end of the box I.-

A drive for the conveyor operating shaft 24. is provided comprising the following.

A drive shaft 26 extends forwardly of the front'end 'I of the box I, in substantially the horizontal center of the box, with its rear end journaledin an L-shaped bearing bracket 29 bolted, as at 30, to the front end I of said box. The drive shaft 26 is coupled to a shaft section 3|, by a universal joint 32, the section 3| being designed for coupling, in any suitable manner, to the rear power takeoff, not shown, of a tractor. A bevel gear 33, fast on the rear' end of the drive-shaft 28, meshes with a larger bevel gear 34 fixed on one end of a jack shaft 35 journaled, adjacent said end, in the bearing bracket 23 to extend lengthwise through the box I from end to end box I. outwardly of the bearing bar 26, theiack a,47a,sss

shaft 8! is provided with an end crank 40 operatively connected by-a pitman rod 4i to the front end of a downwardly and rearwardly inclined slide rod 42, endwise slidable in a bearing sleeve 48, bolted, as at 44, to the adjacent side 6 of the box I. A link 45 is pivoted at one end, as at 46, to the rear end of the slide rod 42 with its other end pivoted, as at 41, to and between the lower ends of a pair of side by-side, laterally spaced, pawl-carrying arms 48, the upper ends of which are rotatable on one end of the conveyoroperating shaft 24 at opposite sides of the hearing arm 28 so that said arms 48 may rock forwardly and rearwardly on said shaft. A pawl 48 is pivoted, as at Iii, between said arms 48 ad- Jacent the lower ends thereof, to extend forwardly and be rocked upwardly into the teeth of a ratchet wheel 6! fast on the conveyor operating shaft 24 in the split of the bearing arm 26, said pawl, when engaged with said wheel SI, and when the arms 48 are rocked forwardly, serving to rotate said wheel i and said shaft 24 clockwise to move the upper run of the conveyor l3 rear wardly through the box i.

A pawl-engaging handle 52, upstanding from and rigid with said pawl 49, provides for rocking the pawl clockwise, as viewed in Figures 1 and 5,

into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 5|. A spring 53 having its ends fast to one of the pawl-carrying arms 48, and to one end of the pawl 49, as at 54, 55, yieldingly maintains said pawl 49 disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 5|.

As will now be seen, with the drive shaft 28 in operation, the crank 40 of the crank shaft 85 operates to reciprocate the pitman link 4| and thereby reciprocate the slide rod 42, which, through the medium of the link 45, rocks the pawl-carrying arms forwardly and rearwardly on the conveyor operating shaft 24. Also, as will be readily understood, if the pawl 49 is held engaged, by means of the handle 52, with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 5 i ,said wheel will be intermittently rotated clockwise, under forward swinging of the pawl-carrying arms 48, and such intermittent rotation of said wheel 5| will impart a step-bythe unloading of the box i may be regulated, as

desired, while the described drive, with the exception of the ratchet wheel Si, is in operation.

For manually operating the conveyor operating shaft 24, to feed the conveyor l3 in the same manner as previously described, and whether the drive be idle or not, an upstanding hand lever 55 is provided on the conveyor operating shaft 24 with a lower forked end 5! straddling the ratchet wheel 5! and swingable forwardly and rearwardly on said conveyor operating shaft. A spring pressed pawl 58 is pivoted, as at 59, in said forked end 51 to operate said ratchet wheel 5| in the same manner as the pawl 48.

A chain 60 is extended across the box I, over the same, at the rear end thereof, with one end fast to an upright 6|, bolted, as at 82, to one side 6 of the box I. A ring 83 is provided on the other end of the chain 60 for hooking over the upper end of a vertical lever 64 pivoted adjacent said upper end, as at 65, between a pair of keeper 4 plates 88, bolted, as at it, to the other side 8 of the box I. The lever 84' is vertically swingable to permit th ring 83 to slide off the same and release the chain 68 and is provided with a notch 68 in which the ring 68 may seat and which is located below the pivot 65 when the lever 44 is swung into a vertical position against the adiacent side 8 of the box I so that, under the pull of the chain 88, said lever 84 is locked in the described vertical position thereof. When the lever 84 is swung into the described vertical position, the chain is tightened to prevent the sides 8 of the box i from spreading apart at the rear end of the box. This provides for holding the tail gate 8 in upwardly adjusted position. when the chain It is released, as described. the sides 8 permit the tail gate 8 to slide freely, as will be clear.

The foregoing will. it is believed, sufllce to impart a clear understanding by my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modificationwithout departing from 1. The, combination with a wheel-supported box-like container having sides and front and rear ends and adapted to contain loose material to be discharged out of said rear end, of "n endless conveyor at the bottom of said container having an upper run overlying said bottom and operative to move said run rearwardly to discharge the material out of said rear end, of means to operate said conveyor intermittently comprising a conveyor operating shaft at the rear end of said container, a drive shaft at the front end of said container adapted to be power driven, a rocker on said conveyor operating shaft. pawl and ratchet connections between said rocker and conveyor operating shaft, manual means for rendering said connections effective and ineffective at will, and operating connections between said drive shaft and rocker, said operating connections comprising a reciprocating slide rod, a jack shaft operative by the drive shaft, and having a crank thereon, and a pitman link connecting said crank to said slide rod.

2. The combination with a wheel-supported box-like container having sides and front and rear ends and adapted to contain loose material to be discharged out of said rear end, of an endless conveyor at the bottom of said container having an upper run overlying said bottom and operative to move said run rearwardly to discharge the material out of said rear end, of means to operate said conveyor intermittently comprising a conveyor operating shaft at the rear end of said container, a drive shaft at the front 'end of said container adapted to be power driven, a rocker on said conveyor operating shaft, pawl and ratchet connections between said rocker and conveyor operating shaft, manual means for rendering said connections effective and ineifective at will, and operating connections between said drive shaft and rocker, said operating connections comprisin a reciprocating slide rod, a jack shaft operative by the drive shaft, and having a crank thereon, a pitman link connecting said crank to said slide rod, and a pivoted link connecting said slide rod to said rocker.

JOHN E. HYBBERT.

(References on following page} 2,47s,oaa 1 5 6 Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 2,233,111 Roberts Feb. 25, 1941 The following references are of record in the 2,321,168 Tognettl June 8, 1943 file of this patent: 2,340,983 Pfelfler et a1 Feb. 8, 1944 5 2,345,328 Conway et a1. Mar. 28, 1944 UNITE]? STATES Imus 2,434,718 Becker Jan. 20, 1948 Number Name Date 2,462,400 Kahres et a1. Feb. 22, 1949 1,497,622 Weber June 10, 1924 1,809,796 Beardsley et a1 June 9, 1931 

